VIENNA, Austria – Some nuclear technology ordered by Libya for its former weapons program is missing, while the origin of other material is unclear, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Monday, raising concerns about where the equipment is and whether North Korea could have been a provider.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s findings on Libya’s now dismantled nuclear weapons program were circulated to diplomats in a confidential report ahead of a meeting of the agency’s board of governors. That meeting, which starts Sept. 13, will review the progress of agency investigations into secret nuclear activities by Libya and Iran.
In the report Monday, the agency credited Libya with cooperation in efforts to get to the bottom of its activities, but said some questions remained.
Among them was the issue of some “enrichment technology” that was missing after Libya ordered but never received it.
The report also said the origin of two cylinders of uranium hexafluoride remains unknown. The material is introduced into centrifuges and spun to enrich it. Uranium enriched to 90 percent or above is considered weapons grade and is used in the manufacture of warheads.
The report confirmed that uranium hexafluoride was bought in 2000 “from a foreign supplier,” but came to no conclusion of where the substance originated from.
A senior diplomat familiar with the Libyan investigation said the agency remained uncertain about whether the uranium hexafluoride was purchased on the black market from Pakistan or North Korea.
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